SAWUA seeks declaratory judgmentATKINS — The Southwest Atkins Water Users Association is seeking a declaratory judgment on the proper way to disburse funds left over when the association merged with the city. When the association dissolved last month, it had around $350,000 to be disbursed to members. The association proposed disbursing the funds based on the age of the customer's meter. SAWUA former president Debbie Duvall and her husband, member Gary Duvall, opposed this p...

Johnson County Quorum Court OKs pay increaseCLARKSVILLE — The Johnson County Quorum Court passed three ordinances which will increase salaries for county employees during its regular meeting Thursday. “Your county employees are your government,” County Judge Mike Jacobs said. “We have to take care of them. These are the figures we could carry over.” A first ordinance granted a 4 percent raise to employees who have worked for the county for more than five years. County Clerk Michelle Fro...

Noteboom offers parents a new optionWorking parents often find themselves paying a babysitter or daycare organization, which works well for many families, but some are unable to afford child care. That is where Dardanelle Boys and Girls Club Director Christian Noteboom comes in. Noteboom, who has worked with children throughout much her life, said she began working with children because she wants them to have a constructive day every day. “So many parents can’t afford the cost o...

Nude man arrested after stealing 2 vehicles, pursuit The Russellville Police Department (RPD), Pope County Sheriff’s Office (PCSO) and Arkansas State Police (ASP) teamed up to arrest a man, who wasn’t wearing any clothes, after he fled police and stole two vehicles Friday night. According to a RPD press release, officers responded to the 200 block of Hill View Cove at approximately 10:34 p.m. Friday in reference to a nude white male banging on the residence’s front door. While officers were in r...

Hollis: Soccer complex 'in bad shape'The Russellville Soccer Complex will see closures as the city makes improvements to fields over the next couple of months. "It's in bad shape," Mack Hollis, recreation and parks director, said of the complex during the Russellville Recreation and Parks Commission meeting earlier this week. Hollis suggested leaving open some fields while repairs are made to others. "There will be opportunity for people to play if they need to," he said. If the ...

News Briefs (June 14, 2014)Residents appointed by Governor Beebe LITTLE ROCK — Mark Coffman of Atkins was appointed Wednesday by Gov. Mike Beebe to the Criminal Detention Facility Review Committee, Judicial District 5. The appointment expires Jan. 14, 2018. He replaces Ronald Stobaugh. Tanif Crotts or Clarksville was appointed to the Prevailing Wage Advisory Committee. The appointee serves at the will of the governor. He replaces Tony Ellis. Engineering camp for junior ...

ADH pushes for Hep C testingThe Arkansas Department of Health (ADH) has urged people born between 1945-1965 to get tested for Hepatitis C. Kelly Krell, ADH spokesperson, said it is not certain why people ages 49-69 are considered high-risk. "According to the CDC [Center for Disease Control], the high rates of Hep C in baby boomers is not completely understood," Krell said. "Most boomers are believed to have become infected in the '70s and '80s when rates of Hep C were hi...

Commission recommends partnership with RSDThe Russellville Recreation and Parks Commission approved recommending the city partner with the Russellville School District (RSD) to install new backstops on Field 1 and Field 6 at M.J. Hickey Fields during its regular meeting Tuesday afternoon at the Hughes Center. "[It] sounds like a win-win," Commissioner Chloe Lieblong said. Mack Hollis, recreation and parks director, said the city would be responsible for $33,000 of the estimated $63,00...

Festivities for MAOT Pageant begin todayFor the first time in the 17-year history of the Miss Arkansas’ Outstanding Teen Pageant, 35 girls from around the state will travel to Russellville to take part in the 2014 edition of the pageant. For the next five days, contestants will participate in a number of events leading up to the ultimate goal: the 2014 Miss Arkansas Outstanding Teen crown. As the 35 teens arrive in Russellville today, each will register before heading downtown to pr...

Runoff elections decided todayEditor's note: All numbers are according to official election results available on the Secretary of State's website. Visit www.sos.arkansas.gov to view all results. It's Election Day, and the race for Pope County Circuit Clerk and the GOP nomination for attorney general will be decided today. Republicans Gina Skelton and Diane Willcutt emerged as the top two vote getters for Pope County Circuit Clerk during the May 20 primary, sending them to ...

News Briefs (Jun. 7, 2014)Russellville summer feeding program The Russellville School District will conduct a summer feeding program and provide breakfast and lunch at Crawford Elementary and Russellville Jr. High beginning Monday through June 27. Contact Russellville School District Child Nutrition for details at (479) 498-8836. Miss Arkansas' Outstanding Teen Help welcome 35 of Arkansas' most outstanding teens as they participate in a kickoff parade at 4:30 p.m. Tues...

Russellville teen reported missingRebecca "Becky" Upton, 16, of Russellville was reported missing by her mother, Candy Wolf, on Monday. Wolf described her daughter as 5 feet 3 inches, weighing about 135 pounds with dark blond hair and hazel eyes. Upton was last seen around 9:30 p.m. Sunday near East 19th Street and South El Paso Avenue as she was walking to stay the night with a friend who lived on her street. Wolf said she sent a text message to Upton's friend when her daught...

Storms hit Pope CountyAtkins and Hector were among the hardest-hit areas as severe thunderstorms swept across parts of Arkansas Friday afternoon. In Pope County, more than 2,300 Entergy customers reported power outages. Of the 2,340 reported, 887 customers lived in Hector and 874 lived in Atkins. Russellville Entergy customers reported 347 outages as of late Friday afternoon. Russellville Public Works reported receiving some calls about trees down, and said there w...

Downtown Art Walk begins at new timeThe second quarter Downtown Art Walk will take place from 6-9 p.m. today as the Russellville Downtown merchants showcase the talents of area artists and musicians. This event will feature an “Arkansas Living Treasure,” the second installment of an original downtown project as well as a new attraction. The community is invited to stroll the sidewalks of Russellville Downtown while shopping for art, greeting old friends and making new ones and e...

Commission finalizes plansThe Pope County Election Commission confirmed poll workers for the June 10 runoff election and finalized plans to address other issues after the election during a meeting Wednesday afternoon. Election Coordinator Sherry Polsgrove reminded commissioners they had previously discussed waiting until after the May primary and the June runoff elections to discuss possible changes in polling locations. In April, commissioners approved temporarily cha...

Mayor proclaims Friday 'Jimmy Hood Day'Mayor Bill Eaton issued a proclamation declaring June 6, 2014, as Jimmy Hood Day. Friday would have been Hood's 55th birthday. The proclamation was presented to Patricia Sims — fiancee of the late Hood, who died in a tragic accident on May 23. The proclamation calls upon the people of Russellville to recognize and celebrate the life of this truly remarkable man, who was a positive role model and inspiration to all in the Arkansas River Valley....

Council approves rezoning for HarpsDOVER — The Dover City Council approved rezoning property to the east of Rose Drug on State Highway 7 in Dover to allow for a Harps Food Store and gas station during its regular meeting Tuesday night. "We [Harps] have a piece of the property that's being rezoned under contract with the Jones and Johnson [families], and we're asking that it be rezoned to highway commercial district, which makes sense given its location on Highway 7," Sarah Hopp...

2 killed in log truck crashA Pope County man and a Crawford County man were killed and a Van Buren man was injured in a crash Monday afternoon on U.S. Highway 65 in Van Buren County, according to a police report. Jerry Lyn Hickman, 39, was driving a 1999 Peterbuilt TTL south on Highway 65, approaching a bridge at Arkansas 16 East around 3:18 p.m. when his left rear tire blew out, causing the load of logs in his trailer to shift. The trailer overturned, spilling logs ont...

Candidate Q & AEditor's note: The Courier contacted the candidates in the runoff election for Pope County Circuit Clerk as part of its voter's guide for 2014. The candidates were emailed the same question. Below are the responses for those two candidates. Candidates for Pope County Circuit Clerk Gina Skelton If you could give voters a statement about why you should be elected, what would it be? Considering the volume of work that passes through the Circuit C...

Plains and Eastern Clean Line conducts office hoursRepresentatives from Plains and Eastern Clean Line are on hand from noon to 6 p.m. today at the Russellville Area Chamber of Commerce, located at 708 W. Main St., to answer questions about the proposed electric transmission line project. The line would stretch about 750 miles through Arkansas, Oklahoma and Tennessee and would transmit energy produced in western Oklahoma, Kansas and northwest Texas. "The Plains and Eastern Clean Line is an elec...